Liar, I'll Kill You
by Sausa
Summary: Both Sasuke and Naruto leave the village. How far will Hinata and Sakura go to bring back the men they love...or hate?...Or is there something missing from this picture? NaruHina SasuSaku ShikaTema
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

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Hinata waited at the gate since nine. It was almost one at night and her father and Hanabi had still not shown up. Tsunade had done a good job at healing everyone but she was still scared that Neji wouldn't make it. Naruto had brought Tsunade, her knight in shining armor had brought the best medic in the world to become the Hokage and heal Lee, who had not healed everyone that had been wounded while trying to get Sasuke back. The village was quiet for now, since everyone was sleeping but she knew once they woke up, they would continue to blame Naruto for not bringing Uchiha-san back. The village had gossiped about it for far too long. It really seemed like there was nothing Naruto could do to get in their good graces.

Hinata POV

I looked through the gates one more time. Maybe I should go back to the hospital, I really hope Neji doesn't wake up alone. I rubbed my arms as another breeze seemed to pass through the area. But then that chakra signature, I knew it. Naruto. I looked up the only road that led out of the village. It was Naruto-kun…with a huge bag on his back. Was he going on another mission?

This late, no one but ANBU would leave this late. Izumi realized his presence too.

"Naruto!" Izumi waved his hand happily at him but Naruto didn't reply, he didn't lift his head and smile, nor did he yell back.

What's wrong with Naruto? Until I looked up and saw multiple Naruto's raining down on Izumi, pummeling him. Naruto was still walking closer and closer to me. You can't be leaving too, can you Naruto?

I activated my Byakugan.

"N-naruto-kun, i-it's so l-late? What are you doing here?" I stuttered

Naruto stopped walking and looked up at me. His eyes, his eyes were devoid of the happiness and sadness that they always held. Instead they were cold. I could feel myself shiver just looking at them.

"T-this is the only w-way out of the v-v-village. Do y-you have a m-mission?" I was hoping that he would say yes. That he just knocked out Izumi as part of one big joke

"You should go home Hinata-chan" Naruto said as he started walking closer to me

"Why are you leaving Naruto?!" I yelled, finally I didn't stutter, "I'm n-not l-letting you leave!" Crap my stutter was back, I bowed my head letting my hair cover my face. I saw Naruto's feet stop right in front of mine. I was scared to look up at him, I knew I was shivering visibly. I felt his hand on my shoulder

"Goodbye Hinata-chan," Naruto said was he tried to walk around me, but thankfully my subconscious was faster than me. I turned around and grab his sweater, he stopped walking

"I-I l-love you N-Naruto-kun! I k-know y-you never noticed m-me, but e-ever since you s-saved me from those b-bullies, I-I a-admired you." I knew by now my tears were streaming, they were so hot that they were starting to burn my skin. I really wished that the cold breeze from earlier could come again. Come on we can do it, we can speak faster. We have to make Naruto stay. I have to stall long enough for dad to come. Dad is strong enough to stop. If I can't stop him, dad can. No, Shikamaru's dad was with them, he could bind Naruto.

"And t-then s-slowly I-I started to fall in l-l-love with you. E-even though, I never m-managed the c-courage t-to g-go over to you and i-interact with you, I still watched you f-from the background. I know only S-Sakura exist in your world. B-But s-stay, I love you enough s-so that you'll never feel l-lonely again. I k-know you were always alone, but I'll change. I'll become stronger in order to stay by your side. I don't care whether you are the nine-tails host…" Naruto jumped. Is he going to do something? No keep talking, "or n-not. T-to me you a-are just N-Naruto. I love you!"

Naruto moved out of my grasp. No…he's hugging me. I feel like I want to melt.

Normal POV

Naruto hugged her from behind as tightly as he could, "Thank you Hinata, but I can't protect the village and everyone else if I stay. I…" Naruto hesitated. What was the point of telling her that he realized her feelings. His short travels with Jiraya had opened his eyes, "I love you too Hinata." Naruto knew he shouldn't have said that but it was true in some sense, he loved her as a sister. Maybe he could have loved her more had he paid more attention to her, but it was too late for that. Naruto let go of her slowly and began to step back. His hands dropped to his sides and he turned. To continue walking.

Hinata swiveled on her heels, "then take me with you! Don't leave me!"

Naruto flickered behind her and hit the back of her neck. Hinata started falling to the ground. Naruto catches her bridal style and leans her against the gates. Naruto brushes the tear streaks away from her face. He takes off his hiate and takes a kunai out and scratches through the Konoha symbol. He takes out Sasuke's own to and puts both in Hinata's pocket and stands up

"Forget about me Hina-chan…"

Hinata POV

My eyes, brightness. My eyes fluttered open. White? Why was the room white? I closed my eyes and sat up in the bed.

Naruto!

My eyes snapped open only to see Tsunade and Shikamaru looking at me.

"Your awake Hinata," Tsunade walked closer to me and puts her arm around me, "Can you tell me what happened to you and Izumi?"

"N-Naruto" I whispered

"Naruto?" Tsunade said in surprise, "What happened to Naruto?"

"H-he l-left…" I whispered. I didn't think she could hear me. But she did, in the next second she was already out the room. My tears had started again. I looked at Shikamaru.

"Sh-Shika-kun…H-he…" I started to sob. Shikamaru muttered his normal troublesome and walked over and put his arm on my shoulder. I opened my eyes slowly at the realization of Shikamaru's gesture, it was the same thing that Naruto did to me before he left. He said he loved me but he left. I could hear my heart breaking, I heard it clearly like the sound of a baseball hitting a window at full speed. I could feel the hurt, the pain. But for some reason that hurt, that pain. Was slowly turning into a cold, a numbness that I never felt before. My tears were slowing. He said he loved me right before leaving.

"Forget me Hinata"

He didn't love me. He only said that to get me to lower my guard. He used my feeling for him. He used me. Took advantage of me. I felt the line between hate and love merging. I hated him. I started to shake violently. I have my new objective in life. Become strong enough to kill Naruto. And get revenge for using me, using my innocent love for him.

I hate you Naruto

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Sakura POV

Sasuke and Naruto had left the village and all I could do was cry. A knock came on the front door. My mother answered the door. I really didn't want to go downstairs and see who it was.

"Sakura your friends are here!" my mom called up the stairs.

Friends. Both my best friends left the village.

"I don't think she's coming down, you could go up if you like. Both her teammates leaving has her very sad. Please cheer her up for me" Sakura's mom allowed the guest to go up the stairs.

Someone knocked my door.

"Sakura-chan"

That was Hinata's voice, but she didn't stutter.

"Come in" Wow my voice is shaky. When was the last time I spoke? Days.

Both Hinata and Shikamaru walked into my room. Hinata locked eyes with me and for I froze. Those weren't her eyes, they were cold, harden, and determined. They looked a lot like Sasuke's. Shikamaru closed the door behind them and they leaned against the wall. Something must be up, Shikamaru has never been close to Hinata or I. Why would he be here with Hinata? In my house, no less.

"Sakura-chan…" Hinata looked me straight in the eyes, "What do you want more than anything?"

Hinata's new voice was surprising, it was gentle and melodious but still strong. The stutter was gone. I was surprised more than anything more by her voice than by her question. What did I want more than anything? I looked over to the photo of Team 7.

"Them," I turned to Hinata, "I want them back" my voice slowly growing more determined. Hinata nodded her head

"Then the three of us, let's get stronger together. We'll help you bring Sasuke-san back but" Hinata paused, "You'll have to defeat me to bring Naruto back, because my new goal…" Hinata stops again

Her new goal? What could her new goal be that she wouldn't say that she would help me bring back Naruto. I would need to defeat her.

"My new goal is to kill Naruto" Hinata whispered

I jumped off my bed. I could feel my anger boiling. She even dropped the Kun from his name

"What did you say!?" I yelled, I wanted to punch Hinata. This wasn't Hinata. The Hinata I knew loved Naruto more than anything.

"He used my love. When I begged him to stay, I told him I loved him. Do you know Sakura? He said he loved me back. He hugged me. I almost melted but he used my feelings to leave, to make me lower my guard so he could knock me unconscious." Hinata's voice started to scare me. Did Naruto-kun really say he loved her? Did he really lie to her?

"I hate him, Sakura. I'm going to kill him. That's my new goal. So, let's become stronger together. Bring Sasuke back, then you and Shikamaru become strong enough to stop me from killing Naruto. Let's do whatever we can to become the strongest" says Hinata

"Shikamaru-kun. Are you hearing her?" I asked him

"It's a troublesome idea but Sakura-chan. I need to become stronger I need to make sure that other than just being a brain, I can protect the one's I care for. I couldn't do that with the Sasuke recovery mission Sakura. Sasuke-san and Naruto-san are precious to this village and so is my family. I'm going to make sure I can protect them. When it's time, we'll stop Hinata-chan and bring Naruto home Sakura-chan. We need you as part of this group." Shikamura said determined

This was asinine. Lazy Shikamaru was willing to work hard to get his goal done. And he just moved all of my resolve to tell Hinata that she was crazy. I dropped back on my bed and looked up at the ceiling. Maybe just maybe, I could grow stronger. Instead of standing behind Sasuke and Naruto, I would stand in front of them. I would save them. I sighed out loud. This was crazy, but Sasuke and Naruto were worth it

"Sakura-chan" Hinata called my name. I brought my gaze down and looked at her. Her hand was outstretched with to hiate's with slashes through them. I recognized them immediately and snatched them from her. Naruto-kun's and Sasuke-kun's. These were Naruto-kun's and Sasuke-kun's. I wanted to cry and I felt my eyes filling up with tears. But now wasn't the time to cry. I looked and Hinata and felt my new determination raising up in me. I'm coming for you Sasuke-kun.

"Hinata" She looked at me. "I'm not going allow you to hurt Naruto-kun"

Shikamaru closed his eyes and smiled, "This is going to be troublesome"


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura POV

It's been eighteen months since Hinata-chan's proposal. I could already see the strength growing in me. My body is bruised and batter, but looking in the mirror I've never been so impressed to see how toned my back muscles have become. Shikamaru-kun devised a plan for us becoming stronger. That included training, 24/7. When our real bodies weren't training, our clones were training and studying.

We had multiple teachers. In the mornings, we went with Lee and Gai sensei on their morning "runs". The extra weights Gai sensei gave us, were constantly being upped every time he realized we were getting used to them. After that we trained with Lady Tsunade, Shikamaru-kun only stayed around for the medic training, he would leave later before she started training us on strength and agility. He would go and train one on one with Asuma sensei. Hinata-chan and I would leave to go and train with Anko sensei and Kakashi sensei respectively. On the weekends, we would train together or with our teams. Though other weekends Shikamaru-kun would leave to go train with Chiriku, Asuma's friend, at the temple.

I took off my shirt and pants and continued to look in the mirror. Yup there were just black and blues everywhere. I touched my face, I can't remember the last time I took care of my skin. My face was dry and rough. Though I couldn't really say it was rough because my hands were calloused all over. I looked over at my two clones who were studying on the bed. They were both reading medical textbooks. My chakra control was getting better and better, and my clones could stay out for longer and longer periods of time. The moment I sit down, I'm sure I'm not going to get back up. My muscles nor my brain would let me.

The sauna, Hinata-chan's house had a sauna. Stretching in the heat supposedly help heal muscles. I put on my bathing suit and some baggy clothes and teleported into Hinata-chan's room. I walked to a wall in her room. She had a huge map, she had pinned everywhere there had been a sighting of either Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, or Itachi-san. She had details written down on post-its. Orange for Naruto-kun, blue for Sasuke-kun, and red for Itachi-san. Jiraya-sama had gone after Naruto when Naruto left but had yet to come back. Nor had he sent any report.

Hinata opened the door to her room, she smiled at me and held a tray of hand rolled sushi. Another clone walked in behind her with four 1 gallon bottles of water. Hinata's new signature meal whenever I came over: sushi rice mixed with mashed beans, toasted diced nuts, and oats; she would then put in one slice of meat some carrots and cucumbers, all that would get wrapped in seaweed. We really had sacrificed everything, even the way food tasted. I can't remember the last time she ate a cinnamon bun or the last time a had a piece of candy. We now ate to keep ourselves alive and make sure our muscle didn't waste away.

"You knew I was coming," I said as I smiled back at Hinata

"Of course," Her clone handed me two of the gallons of waters. One for before yoga and one for after. This was our routine. We would eat until Shikamaru-kun would show up and eat his portion. Talk about nothings for three hours and then do our stretches in the sauna.

…But after we bring them back, what would our new goal in life be…

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3 Years and Two Months Later

Shikamaru POV

I had originally hated Hina-chan's idea of training with Tsunade in medicine, but it finally paid off. Asuma-sensei almost died at the hands of Kakuzu and Hidan. It was a joint effort by Ino and I but we were able to heal him enough to get him back to Konoha to be healed by Tsunade. Then I killed Hidan, with Chiriku-sensei techniques and the skills Asuma taught me.

I'm strong enough. Finally, I'm strong enough. I was able to save the people that mean the most to me. Not just by using my brain but my using my skills. After dropping Asuma-sensei to the hospital I sprinted to Saku-chan's house. I needed to see them. I needed to see Saku-chan and Hina-chan. I needed to tell them that I did it. I banged on Saku-chan's home door only to have her mother open the door in surprise.

"Sorry it's urgent is Sakura-chan home?" I asked quickly.

"Nope she's at the training field…" Sakura's mother tried to finish her sentence but I was already gone. There were only two training field that Saku-chan could be in and that's exactly where I was headed. I didn't waste any time. As I approached our training spot where Hina-chan, Saku-chan and I usually train. I spotted them. They were pointing at the clouds laughing, their clones were talking with their summons. Hina-chan was the first to spot me.

"Shi-kun," Hinata called for me. She waved at me. I slowed down as I approached them.

"I did it!" I yelled back, I really couldn't hide my happiness. This was so out of character for me.

Hina-chan and Saku-chan stood up.

"I did it. I was able to save the people I care about…" I heaved out that sentence. I was proud of myself. Kami knows I was proud of myself.

I stood up properly and closed by eyes and rubbed the back of my head. I was sure Hina-chan and Saku-chan were smiling back at me.

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I walked into Tsunade's office. The ANBU closed the door behind me. Saku-chan and Hina-chan were already in the room.

"You're finally here Shikamaru," Tsunade says as she leans back into her chair, "Good let's get down to business. I have a gift for the three of you, it's not so much as a gift than it is something completely off the books"

What could Tsunade "gift" us. And then my suspicion rose. Tsunade casted a jutsu over the room so only we could hear what she was going to say. Shizune put a jar on the table three things floated around in it. As the things turned, it was eyes. Three eyes floating around in that jar. Saku-chan gasped at the sight.

"That eye" Saku-chan walked towards the jar that's on the desk, "Why does this eye look familiar?" she looks up at Tsunade shakily

"We found these eyes in one of Orochimaru's forgotten labs. Your right Sakura this eye is from the same family as Ranmaru according to the labeling. It has one more ability, it allows you to suck out the chakra out of people. But, that chakra doesn't go to you, it dissipates in the air. This eye is for you Sakura, if you want it"

"Want it?' Hinata asks even I could tell that Hina-chan's voice was breaking under the offer. Saku-Chan starts to back up from the desk. Tsunade leans forward and folds her hands in front of her face.

"This goes against all my morals but to bring back Sasuke and Naruto, I'm willing to do this" Tsunade point to the second eye, "This one is yours Shikamaru"

She pointed to a baby blue eye with three back triangles around the pupils. Mine, my eye. What would happen to my old eye?

"The second eye shares one ability as Ranmaru's family eye, in that it inhibits another eye dojutsu's. It has two other abilities, it allows the user to take nature's energy and convert it to chakra that can be used by the user and whoever the user wants to give it to. Second, it allows the user to explode any particles that it looks at"

That powerful, can I really wield a weapon like that? No, this is morally wrong…don't I want to continue to protect the people close to me? But with the eye, while I strategize and act out a plan, I could use the eye to keep Hina-chan and Saku-chan safe as I plan. As they lose chakra, I could give them. It could be never ending…until they hit physical exhaustion that is…

"Hinata, we already know that have one Byakugan eye has no effect on the visual prowess. With that said, the third eye is yours. It has four abilities. One is that it allows you to teleport things into and out of the multiple dimensions. Two, it allows you to manipulate a person's thoughts and read minds. Three, it allows you to manipulate objects that have your chakra in them. Four, it allows you to eat the three elements: air, fire, metal and earth and use them to direct attacks, without the use of chakra. You can also "give" this ability to others for limited periods of time"

Hina-chan's potential eye is dangerous. We would be unstoppable. The possibilities strategically are endless. Would that make me any better than Orochimaru's subjects? I mean I already have one family justu. But to add this…body manipulation is against everything that she taught us about medicine. But then again, Kakashi-sensei is the same way, we would just be like him, right?

"How long?" what was I saying, I didn't tell myself to say that. Troublesome subconscious. "How long is the recovery?"

"You should all wake up within thirty minutes of surgery," Tsunade says after calculating in her head, "Then you'll spend the rest of today reading Orochimaru's notes and practicing with your new eyes"

"We'll be just like Kakashi-sensei?" Hina-chan asks hesitantly. She stole my thought. Tsunade nods her head.

"This…this is the farthest that I will ever bend my morals" Saku-chan steps forward, "I'll do it"

"Good," Tsunade pulls out an ANBU mask and puts it on the table in front of Saku-chan.

"Saku-chan's and Shi-kun's eyes will render me pretty useless when it's time to kill Naruto" Hina-chan steps forward, "I'll do it"

Tsunade pulls out another ANBU mask and puts it on the table. Saku-chan is a Jay, Hina-chan is a Bee, and me… Saku-chan and Hina-chan look at me

This price of this eye is that I become an ANBU and lose an eye. Logically this is a good decision, yes logically. Logically…I accomplished my goal, I could do this much to help Saku-chan and Hina-chan. I could help Konoha. I nodded my head and Tsunade smiled and took out another mask…a scorpion.

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Sakura POV

My arm still stung a bit from the ANBU tattoo. Tsunade ordered that we were to keep our tattoo's under bandages unless we were on an ANBU mission. To everyone else we would have been promoted to Jonin, so we wouldn't take on the same missions all the time. I changed into the hospital outfit and laid down on the hospital table in the room. I clasped my hands together. For Sasuke. For Naruto. Shizune walked in.

"We'll start now Sakura" Shizune whispered to me. If she was here, that means Shi-kun's surgery was finished. He'd offered to go first. Shizune put a mask over my face and I slipped into unconscious.

My eyes fluttered open. I sat up slowly, hoping that no headache would come. Nothing. I opened one eye at a time testing to make sure I could see out of both. Right eye. Left eye. I could see. Shizune opened the curtain that was separating the beds.

"You're up Sakura" her voice was happy. She started testing my eyes immediately. First, using an ophthalmoscope and then a retinascope.

"Let's check your blood pressure and spinal fluid pressure now Sakura," Shizune said as she took out the cuff and started to take my pressure.

"Why so many test?" I asked, I was really curious.

"Because the eyes are from Orochimaru's lab" Shizune finished taking my spinal fluid pressure, "Other than changes to your chakra system, we have to make sure nothing else changes"

Shizune handed me a mirror. My eyes were normal. The same light green irises were staring back at me

"Where's the eye?" I look up at her, "Did it not take?"

"Tsunade-sama put a seal on the inside of your eyelid, it will forever hide the eye under a genjutsu. No one will know that you have this eye" Shizune said as she extended her hand toward me to help me off the table. I jumped off

"Then the eye…" I started but she finished for me

"Will always be activated, you just have to learn how to wield it" Shizune said as she walks toward the door. "Get dressed" she ordered

With this, Sasuke-kun can't use his Sharingan on me. Then I could place him under a genjutsu. I could bring him back home. Home. I'm coming Sasuke.

I change my clothes and walked out the room. Shi-kun and Hina-chan were already standing up in the corner waiting for me. I guess I took a long time to wake up. There were already dressed in the ANBU garb as I had with their mask in their hands.

"Put on your mask" Tsunade ordered and we obeyed, "You will report to Ibiki tomorrow and start your crash course in interrogation before heading to the ANBU headquarters. Understood?!"

"Hai!" we yelled

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Hinata POV

Rookie Nine held a party for us everyone was so proud of us being the first to make Jonin. We made Jonin at age 15. We ate tons of BBQ meat, we sang karaoke songs. The teachers drank. Anko-sensei and Kakashi-sensei arguing over who taught us the best.

They were so happy for us. But that happiness was built on a lie, built on a pact that only the three of us and Tsunade knew. Would they still be happy for us if they found out what we did to our bodies? That we're ANBU?

I want to think they would still be happy for me…

But would they be happy if they knew that my purpose in life, the reason that I changed, the reason that I'm this strong…is because I want to kill him…

I want to kill Naruto…their precious friend…

No I will kill him, whether they consented or not


	3. Chapter 3

My name is Sausa. Yes that is my real name. My parents wanted a female version of "Sousa" (he's a great american band music writer).

Disclaimer: I don't know Naruto

Thanks!

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Sakura POV

I looked at Kakashi. He had got to be kidding me! A new team. Both had blank emotionless faces. I was trying to get back my old team not form a new one. But I still needed to complete missions to keep up with appearances. Yamato and Sai. I learnt my lesson already, these were the people that I would protect and trust. I'll never let them go like Sasuke-kun and Naruto.

I walked through the village and then to Team 7's old training field. I could still see Naruto and Sasuke-kun training. I could see Sasuke-kun Fireball Jutsu Signs and him taking in that deep breath. Inhaling, his chest swelling. Naruto yelling at Kakashi for being late.

Naruto you're a clumsy, stupid, lunk-head idiot. No one in this world though, defies the odds every time like you. Every time anyone thought you would fail, you proved them wrong. You should have stayed with me. Trained with me. Learn to control the Kyuubi with me. You saved me more times than I can count. I believe in you Naruto.

You too Sasuke-kun, I believe in you. I'll teach you what it means that families are stronger when everyone is together.

Shikarmaru POV

It had been a mere 3 days since the eye transplant. I had tested it long enough to know that if I focused solely them, as long as Hina-chan and Saku-chan were in a 100 feet radius. Their eye doujutsu's were ineffective. If he was thankful for anything, it was the detailed notes that Kabuto and Orochimaru left behind. It was a complete manual. But what good would it do on this mission.

Ino, Choji, Kakashi-Sensei, and I ran through the trees. We had just finished going over the plan. We were after the guy that got away, Kakuzu. Asuma sensei was alive. But the damage was irreversible. He'll never be able to wield chakra like he once did. He was affectively a civilian. I needed to finish the job.

I finally knew their absolute mission. Jinchuuriki. Most people don't know that Naruto left. I sighed out loud. Why hadn't Tsunade sent Hina-chan and Saku-Chan with me? I'm sure she knew we needed back up.

We did need back-up. I thought that I had killed Hidan, but there I was fighting him again. Every move he made, my self-confidence went down. Until I was on the ground and he had licked his partners blood off his spear. He started his ritual and all I could do was pretend to tremble. And then it head south from there. And that same spear was headed my way again.

Saku-chan…Her presence I felt it near. Her and her group had shown up. In the end, we defeated both Akatsuki members. I was only able to take down Hidan, once again. But I couldn't take down both on my own. I need to be able to take on someone like this on my own. Though I know, numbers and trusted comrades who always have my back is a better way to fight.

Chiriku sensei was dead and Asuma sensei could no longer use chakra. I needed new teachers. I need to train harder.

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 **Time Jump to right before Pain (Yahiko), Nagato, and Konan attack Konoha, also known as "Pain's Assault"**

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Tsunade POV

Things were getting out of hand. My plan was being executed perfectly but news of Gaara was starting to move faster than I could keep a handle on. I needed to keep the unrest to a minimum. Civilians and other shinobi could talk. The more they talked about jinchuriki, the more people are going to ask about Naruto.

It was true, Naruto had tried to leave the village. But Jiraiya and Yamato were only able to find his jacket. All chakra trails, all scents, everything, gone. Jiraya and Yamato have been traveling together ever since, looking for Naruto. Sai joined them on their travels not too long after. Until I called Yamato and Sai back, I needed them to assimilate and learn to work together with Sakura before I brought everyone together.

When Shikamaru, Hinata, and Sakura brought their plan to my attention I realized that I could use them to be the new ground that Naruto could stand on before becoming Hokage. I would make Naruto's dream come true, Hokage. He was the only one that would be able to bring everyone together. I had him down as traveling around the villages. That should keep the council at bay for now.

Hinata's will to kill Naruto was a bit of a problem, but I knew that her line between hate and love could be altered once again. If all went according to plan. Those three, the Uchiha, Ibiki, and Kakashi would be the new Konoha Council.

Hinata would take over Root and the ANBU, Sakura would have control over Medical, ninja training, and weapon research, Shikamaru would be in charge of diplomatic, information gathering and control, and war defense, strategies, and planning, Sasuke would be in charge of the clans, and Kakashi and Ibiki would guide Naruto and the others as Jonin Commanders. Konoha would have produced five new Sannin. The new Konoha Council would also lighten the load on Naruto when he became Hokage. No one could touch us nor would they ever think to. Getting rid of the current Konoha Council wouldn't be too hard.

Both Naruto and Sasuke are vital pieces of this village. They had to come back. And knowing them, they'd come back stronger than anyone would ever know.

I needed my plan to go smoothly. I needed to create that village that Naruto and Dan had dreamed off.

I sighed and leaned back in my chair, taking a sip a sake. Those three were on another assassination mission. I didn't allow them to rest for long. I only allowed them to be in the village for at most a day. They could completely control their new eyes and were completing A to S-Rank mission almost flawlessly.

But now I had a big problem on my hand. Hinata, Sakura, and Shikamaru should be finishing up their mission.

And heading back home…

Shikamaru POV

S-Rank Mission again.

35 B-S Class missing-nin in one place all, and all were in the Bingo book. Our mission was to kill them, kill the boss of this place, and free the sex slaves. I continued my assault on Hina-chan's neck. Kissing and biting down occasionally, to hear her moans. I let out my own as Saku-chan continued to rub my member with her chakra through my pants. This wasn't your ordinary resort hotel, it was the place where highly skilled ninja came to release themselves. Hidden on an unknown island. Everyone here was completely open. The booth next to us I could hear a woman's screams as they had intercourse out in the open for everyone to see. People were cheering him on as he assaulted her vagina. She was a sex slave I presumed.

None of these ninjas were paying attention. I could command my shadow clutch technique without having to make signs anymore, I also didn't need a brightly lit room to carry out my shadow techniques. If there was a source of light no matter how dim. I could move.

I unbuckled Hina-chan's and Saku-chan's pants and slipped my hands into their pants pass their underwear. I slipped two digits into their vaginas and fingered them. Hina-chan moved away from me and engaged Saku-chan in a heated tongue battle. I stared at Hina, her eyes were closed but her right eye had the faint outline of veins. She was still scouting the premises, for any last bits of information. I took a last look at the clock. The only boat to the island would leave in one minute and after that, it would take another three minutes before the boat would be too far to turn back. I fingered them faster until their walls clamped down on my fingers. They both came, their hips bucking. They both fell against my chest. This wasn't the first time we had to do this act.

"Eighteen more missing-nin boarded the island and the boat has just left" Hinata whispered as she nipped my ear and then snuggled into my chest. The ANBU team that was here to do the clean-up were upstairs waiting.

Four minutes. It's time… Saku-chan grabbed Hina-chan and my chins and pulled us closer to her mouth. We started a tongue battle that earned some woots from onlookers. And then Hina-chan and Saku-chan disappeared from my side. Hina-chan's genjustu faded and my ANBU mask became visible.

Troublesome

Hinata POV

I started my attack. Shikamaru had caught every single person in his Shadow Imitation. As I moved bodies started to drop. Shikamaru's shadow forcibly moved them into a striking line for Saku-chan and I continued out killing spree. I looked over at Saku-chan and she nodded her head. I flickered upstairs and then transports all the hotel rooms into my dimension. I couldn't help but laugh at them. What was it about sex and pleasure that made B to S-Rank ninja so defenseless?

One thing I did know well. Disturbing people while they're trying to relax made people very angry.

Water started to pool around my feet. They churned until mini vortexes formed. My twin lions formed in my hand, one burned with fire the other crackled with lightning. As I moved my Water Vortex needles went out bringing down 7 of the twelve men in front of me and the rest were brought down with my Fire and Lightening Eight Trigrams Twin Lions attack. As I ran through them.

The last one dropped. That was boring. It was too quick. They barely got a chance to fight back. Oh well. The fire and lightning died down around my hands. I brought my hands up and said a small prayer for the dead. I teleport the rooms and bodies back to reality.

I moved the bodies telekinetically and dropped them in the pile that Sakura had created In the middle of the pub. I looked over at Shi-kun. His was lying down looking up at the ceiling. I smiled. He's so lazy.

"I'm exhausted" My stomach rumbled as I said that. I quickly put my hand over my stomach. I heard Saku-chan laugh like me.

Sakura POV

Hina-chan's poor stomach. The three of us flickered to the roof. Shi-kun and slammed our palms on the ground. When the cloud cleared both our summons were there in front of us.

A Crow and a Bat. Shi-kun mounted his bat and it flew away leaving Hina-chan and me. Hina-chan and I mounted my crow.

"Let's go Akihiro," I said as I patted his neck. It flew after Shi-kun's bat.

00000000000000000000

We've been flying for 5 days now. Taking breaks every few hours. There's no rush to get home. Sometimes we just stop in villages just to see if we could get some information about any of them. But so far, no luck.

"Let's stop there and eat!" Shi-kun yells over to me and Hina-chan. He points to a spot in the middle of the desert that seems to be a watering hole. We land and start to set up camp for the night. Hina-chan started cooking a small meal. She handed me a plate of raw meat and another of fruits. I walked up to Shi-kun's bat, Hotaka and put the plate of fruits down and then to Akihiro and put down his plate.

"Thank you" I heard Hotaka say softly. I petted Akihiro

"You hear that, Akihiro? Even Hotaka-san knows how to say thank you" I chided him

Akihiro gave me a side eye and nudged me away from him. I glared at him playfully and started to walk back to the fire. Hina-chan held a bowl of soup out to me. I thanked her as I took it.

"Another day and we'll be home," Shi-kun said disturbing the quietness, "Troublesome"

Shi-kun put his bowl down and laid on the drown closing his eyes.

A caw came from the distance.

"Hana!" Akihiro shouted. The small crow flew straight into the wings of Akihiro. Akihiro cradled her in his wings.

"Akihiro…Itachi-sama" She whispered, "Itachi-sama is dead…his little…brother Sasuke…killed him"

With those words, I felt my world turn black.

000000000000000000000

Tsunade POV

"Well, I guess I'll just tell ya…" Fukasaku-sama said and he paused, "Jiraya-chan was killed in battle"

I felt my heart clutch tighten and my body heat up. The second man that I loved with all my heart was dead. Dead. I tried hard to keep my face focused but the turmoil in my head was raging. Within three seconds I was slowly turning into a mess.

"I know it's sudden, and I don't blame ya if ya don't believe me…"

I don't think I heard much else after that. Except for the words Akatsuki…Amegakure…Pain…Nagato…former student…

I remembered them…three kids that Jiraiya insisted that he take care of…

A message, in code. His last words, what were they? My thoughts were jumping now

Did I kill him…

"I'll gladly give us my life-fighting…That's one of the cool things us old farts can do"

Jiraiya's words before I sent him off on this mission. I shouldn't have listened to him

Think first, then cry. Think first, then cry.

Those four words will be a lesson that Naruto will have to learn after he becomes Hokage.

I walked out of my office. I needed to get away from people.

What am I going to do without you Jiraiya?

Our memories flashed through my head. My tears are falling. My tears are falling and I…I'm crumbling

I planned on tell him when he got back...It wasn't a mistake...


	4. Chapter 4

Hello

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Thanks

* * *

Shikamaru POV

Saku-chan had just woken up and we were approaching Konoha on Hokata and Akihiro.

Smoke. Black smoke. Fire. What the hell was going on? Why was it coming from Konoha?

We got closer to the village wall. Centipedes. Buildings destroyed.

"Hinata!" I yelled

She jumped off of Akihiro and landing on top of the village wall, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu" she yelled. Fifteen train cart-sized orange, black, and cream salamanders appeared on the wall. "Eat as many people as possible and get them to the evacuation caves. Make sure you save as many as possible. Find out where the medical station is and take all sick and injured there. NOW!"

Hina-chan's summons disappeared and she flickered back next to me on Hotaka. Slugs, there were slugs all over the village. No doubt it was Hokage-sama. She'd been healing people. I turned to Sakura

"Sakura pulverize as many of those creatures as you can! When Hinata and I find the source, we'll call for you," I said. Akihiro started descending.

Normal POV

Hinata's salamander reached the medical base that had been set up and people started to run away from the creature. Shizune noticed and moved away from Inoichi, Ino, and Ibiki.

Shizune approached the salamander and the salamander spit out about forty injured citizens and ninjas.

"It's okay! This is Hyuga Hinata's animal summons. Hurry and move these people," Shizune ordered as she pats the salamanders head. "Tell Hinata I said thank you"

"Anything for Konoha" the salamander yelled before slithering away.

"Come on move it," Shizune yelled once again until four 10 foot bats came and rested themselves on the ground

'Not again' Shizune groaned to herself, "it's okay these are Nara Shikamaru's summons"

"We are here to protect you, my lady"

Hinata's other summons reached the doors of the evacuation caves.

"I'm Hyuga Hinata's summons. I'm here to deliver people!" the salamander stated before spitting up people. The people started to get off the ground and pull at their clothes trying to get the goop off of themselves. But their faces lit up at they saw the evacuation door.

Five of Shikamaru's bats landed.

"Salamander"

"Bat"

The summons exchanged their greetings

"I'm Nara Shikamaru's summons. I'm here to protect you!" The bats turned around and stood guard while the salamanders slithering away.

"Slug-sama" a salamander said as he approached a group of slugs healing people, "I'm here to help, let me take all these people to a central place so you can heal them, it's faster than having you crawl everywhere"

The slugs look at each other and relay the information back to Tsunade for permission.

Tsunade POV

"Go ahead," I said to Katsuyu and continued to focus my chakra

Those three were here. All I've trained them for, let it not go to waste. They're the fire of Konoha. Let them burn brightly.

Three bats dropped in front of me. Shikamaru…

"We are here to protect you Hokage-sama"

I laughed to myself. Here I thought the only people that lazy bum cared about was Asuma, Kurenai, and their unborn child

The bats turned around standing on defense.

Hinata POV

"Shi-kun!" He looked over to where I pointed. Suddenly multiple animals were laying waste to the village.

"Shikamaru I'm gonna try and transport as many of the animals as possible into Kaguya's gravity dimension" Shi-kun turned and nodded, "I'll find you afterward!"

I jumped off Hotaka and then saw something interesting. Chakra Receivers. All of these animals had chakra receivers.

I landed next to my ANBU brethren and they nodded at me. I took out my communicator and put it in my ear. I guess I still had on my mask.

"I have a plan. Those black things on the animals are chakra receivers, I've run into them before. I need you to take my kunai and let the kunai touch all the receivers. We'll go animal by animal. Any other humans with these receivers, you need to cut the receivers out. Sealing them won't work. They're all corpses, no need to play nice. Let's start with the Lobster" I said through my communicator. I threw my kunai laced with chakra into mid-air and they caught it and we went into action.

Normal POV

The female Pain looked at the ANBU. They were attacking the summons but not hurting them or sealing them as they had before. They were attacking only the receivers and the animals would disappear along with a female with yellow and black markings on her mask.

'Interesting' Nagato thought

Hinata took the bird into her gravity dimension. The gravity had the same effect on her. She had also increased the gravity field here, so it was hard for even her to stand up.

"Three animals" Hinata muttered to herself. She didn't even bother to try and stand up or move. It was futile. Her gravity field was just too strong, she had increased the power to deal with such huge animals. She looked at the animals and the rods and they began to slide out very slowly from them.

The lobster, bird, and ox animal screamed as their receivers came out of them slowly. Once the receivers were out Hinata breathed a sigh of relief.

Hinata teleported back to her dimension with the receivers and dropped all of them to the ground in front of the female Pain.

"You should tell me," Hinata pulled her armor away from her body to get some air circulation flowing.

"How many more of those things can you create," Hinata smirked under her mask

The female Pain leaped heading straight for her but Hinata disappeared. With did the dog and chameleon in tow.

Tsunade POV

Behind me

Shikamaru's summons readies themselves for the attack.

"It's been a while, Tsunade-sama. It seems you're the last of the Sannin" Pain greeted her as he landed on top the Hokage Tower. The ANBU surrounding me and I readied ourselves with chakra pooled at our feet for anchorage.

Yahiko, you've grown up…

He wanted to talk, of all times now. At least he was giving me his plans and I guess I was stalling him. He was throwing accusations.

"Where is the Kyuubi, Uzumaki Naruto?" Pain asked

He wanted Naruto.

"If you think the shinobi of Konoha can protect Na…" Yahiko was getting on my nerves with his speeches.

"You're wrong. Naruto…is strong" I interrupted Yahiko. They can't touch Naruto. If they can find him and even then they can't. Not when he has Shikamaru, Sakura, Hinata, Konoha, and I behind him.

Ba-dum. My heart…it felt as if it had pounded out of my chest. A picture of Orochimaru, Jiraiya and I floated into my vision.

Orochimaru…Regret…

Jiraiya had warned me that I was walking down a slippery slope. I may be responsible for Jiraiya's death, but I can't keep the two girls I care for in meaningless darkness. Treating them like this, do I really love them? Care for them? The only one I cared for was Naruto in all this...

Orochimaru, Danzo…I never thought I'd say this, but…I understand you...

But I'm not weak like you. I can't lose everyone I care for and continue on. I'm sorry Jiraiya, Hiruzen-sensei. After this is over, I'll make this world the way Dan wanted it, the correct way. Why didn't I just believe…

I clenched my fist. Yes, I was going to make this right. Sakura and Hinata will forgive me

"Mount Myouboku. I believe that's in the Village of the Toads" Yahiko said, "Maybe I'll check there next"

I checked there already, well Jiraya did. Last time we checked there was a year ago.

I watched Pain fly into the sky with his hands outstretched. No, this was bad, something bad was about to happen. I ran towards the edge of the Hokage tower and leaped off. The ANBU and bats following me.

These thoughts. Am I going to die?

Not yet. I can't die yet. I must save everyone.

Shikamaru POV

Sakura flickered back to my side on top of Hotaka. Hinata as well a couple of seconds after.

"Something's wrong Shikamaru, they just disappeared," Sakura said as the three of us looked at the man in Akatsuki uniform raises into the sky.

"No" I whispered into the wind

"Disperse!" Hinata yelled but I wonder if it was too late. A bright light rained all over Konoha

 **Shinra Tensei**

Sakura POV

Konoha was being ripped apart from an invisible epicenter outwards. Everything's gone. There was just a huge crater, where Konoha use to be. Tears ran down my face and dripped onto my feet. We should have come home sooner, I shouldn't have fainted. I'm still weak, I'm still too weak. If only our timing had been sooner.

Naruto…

Sasuke-kun…

What would you do if you were here?

My goal, my only goal is to bring you home…home…Home, they needed a home to come back too. Whatever's left, I'll save it. So that you have somewhere to come back to.

That man. I'm going to rip that man to shreds.

"Shikamaru, Hinata. I think that man may just be a summons. But since he's the only corpse left. Shikamaru, devise a plan"

Shi-kun got into thinking position as Hotaka hovered

"It turns out when we are in danger we call each other our full names," Hinata sniffles, while forcing a laugh, "I lost three salamanders and Shikamaru lost two bats. Shikamaru's bats were able to repel the wave of the blast and keep the caves and hospital safe"

"They're safe," I repeated after her. Most of the people of Konoha were safe. They had people to come back to. Now let's save their home.

"Hinata, start doing some clean up while Shikamaru thinks" I ordered her

Hinata flickered away.

Hinata POV

I slammed by hand on the ground once more. My snake summons appeared. Over 50 of them. My chakra, I would need more from Shi-kun later.

Mira looked at me angrily, "What did you call me here for? You know I have a nest with eggs waiting to…"

Mira looked around. The view was enough to shut her up, "I need you and your army to dig up the dead. Pile them up somewhere away from the village. Burn the bodies…or eat them if you prefer" I whispered the last part

"I'm not Manda or my husband Aoda my lady. I don't require human sacrifice," Mira locked her eyes with mine, "We will move them away from the village and cover them with oil to prevent infection"

I hesitated, "C-could you not tell Manda and Aoda about this?"

"Aoda is my husband" with that they dispersed

I stumbled back. All these summons were taking up too much chakra but they were necessary. There's a bag of buns on the ground not too far, they were a bit dirty. We needed to fight

We would need to eat.

Shikamaru POV

I had a plan. I opened my eyes and Hina-chan was kneeling in front of me with a bun in her hand. She wanted me to eat it, she had already activated that ability. An ability that didn't need chakra. I looked over to Saku-chan she was almost finish eating hers. I took it and ate.

I took out my communicator and Saku-chan took out hers.

"Go crazy" I said

Hina-chan and Saku-chan looked at me like I was insane

"I want to see how he interacts with out attacks, I need a better picture…" Hina-chan nor Saku-chan waited for any further words. They were gone and reappeared behind Pain punching him to the ground.

Normal POV

Pain falls to the earth with Hinata and Sakura. Hinata and Sakura fell back a bit and steady themselves from the fall.

Everyone was still shaking themselves off from the blast, other were still getting out of Katsuyu. But to see Pain being hit down from the air by two ANBU certainly caught their attention. They could only stand there and look.

Pain stood up slowly from the attack and started walking toward Hinata and Sakura.

"Can you take me to where Uzumaki Naruto is?" Pain said with each step getting closer

"I was hoping you could tell me. So that I could find him and kill him," Hinata sneered, "Your just a corpse, tell me where your master is?"

Pain sighs, "I was hoping to get a guide to get me to Uzumaki Naruto sooner"

Hinata and Sakura zipped towards Pain. Shikamaru locked onto Pain, trying to leave Hinata and Sakura a lone. Pain stretched out his hand to repel Sakura as she came close but was only able to send out a small field of gravity.

"Shit," Shikamaru cursed, 'This man is really strong, his eye dojutsu. I can barely scramble it"

Pain brought his hand close to his face to exam it and figure out what happened long enough for Hinata to land a kick on his face sending flying upwards.

Sakura got behind her.

'My chakra landed' Hinata thought, 'I can control him with my eye'

"Go Sakura!" Sakura didn't wait for anymore orders. She pooled her chakra to her fist and started punching Pain like a ragdoll. Sakura dropped to the ground and jumped again to Pain, punching and kicking him like a ragdoll as Hinata held him steady. Sakura delivered the final punch sending both her and Pain to the ground. Sakura stands up over his body and jumps back to Hinata's spot.

"Good job, together now" Hinata and Sakura joins hands and focus their eyes on Pain who was struggling to sit up. Sakura focused on his drawing out whatever chakra was going into him and letting it disappate in the air.

Pain realized his chakra rods in his nose and ear starting to move.

'Two from him nose out,' Hinata grits her teeth realizing that she didn't get enough chakra on the rods, 'His lip rods out. His ear' Hinata strains as she concentrates on the smallest of strains of her chakra.

Every rod except for the long vertical one in Pain's right ear falls off. The three other Pain that had disappeared we now floating downward beside the fallen one.

'I guess that's as good as it's going to get,' Hinata backed up slightly

"Behind you!" Shikamaru yelled over the communicator system. But it was too late. Two of the six Pain had kicked Hinata and Sakura very hard. But Hinata and Sakura were quicker after kicking them both Hinata and Sakura were able to grab the Pains with them flying with them into the sides of the crater. They used the pains as a shield.

As the dust cleared a collective gasp was heard.

Hinata's mask and Sakura's mask with fake hair attachment slowly crumbled. Falling off piece by piece revealing their faces to the crowd. Shikamaru jumped down to Sakura and looked her over to make sure she's okay. Sakura picked up the Pain and threw the body over to Hinata, who caught the body effortlessly. She grabbed the other body and disappeared to her own dimension. In the gravity dimension Hinata took out all the rods and brought the bodies to her lava dimension. She threw them in. And teleported back to reality in front of Pain. She dropped the rods and smiled at him. Shikamaru and Sakura flickered to the side of her. Shikamaru stood in the middle of them and reached and pulled his mask down.

Now all that's left is the Female Pain (Animal Path), the Pain with really long hair, the Pain the just caused the destruction (Deva Path), and the Path with his head open (Asura Path)

Ino gawked at the sight.

Kiba's mother turned to him, "When did Hinata and Sakura become ANBU? Why aren't you one?"

"I wanna know why she's down there," Kiba yelled back at his mother

Shikamaru pressed his ear, "Sakura! Lock onto them and draw as much chakra away from them as possible, as long as you can and Hinata stall. Don't use your eyes"

Hinata took a good long glance at the four Pain remaining, "We trained hard enough for this. Sakura once you find the source, go dispose of the enemy"

Sakura looked at him with shaky eyes, "By myself?"

"You're strong. Remember that"

Sakura smiles at Shikamaru and kneels on the ground with her hands outstretched towards Pain.

"See you on the other side," Hinata whispered and flickered behind the Pains. Her and her clones kicking them from behind. Hinata stands on the second level of the crater looking down at them. The Pains get back up and two looking at her and two looking at Shikamaru and Sakura.

"If we make it there," Shikamaru hunkered down and started making his signs

'Forgive me Chiriku-sensei, I know I wasn't supposed to learn this but I thought I'll need it one day. You can do this jutsu in a split second, I wish I was like you and Asuma-sensei'

The female Pain knelt to the ground and did a mass summoning with two hands two dogs started running straight for Shikamaru and Sakura.

"Come on! I'm your opponent," Hinata jumps into the sky, "Daiton and Kaiton: Twin Lion Crumbling Swords."

Hinata's lions turned into long chakra swords coming out of their mouths. Hinata flips in midair letting herself fly down with precise accuracy towards the bounding dog. Lightening and fire swirl around either sword as she lands between them. The dogs stumble to the ground immediately, blood spraying everywhere. Their bodies cut cleanly in half. Hinata turns to the summons blood drenched in blood.

"It's one versus four," Hinata smiles gently, Hinata notices to her side that the dogs were starting to move again.

Pain raises his hands and attracts Hinata towards him grabbing her by her neck when she reaches him. Pain starts to crush her neck holding her higher and higher.

"Your death will bring me closer to the peace I seek. Surrender peacefully." Pain says

"No, it won't," Sakura yells as she comes from the side ready to punch them. Pain drop Hinata and the other Pains move out of the way dodging Sakura's blows.

'They are all connected' Sakura hissed in her head as she continued her attack, 'I just need to get my hands on one'

Hinata stands up slowly rubbing her neck and get and jumps directly in front of Shikamaru to protect him. Sakura flickers behind the female Pain and grabs her arms dropping her to the ground. Sakura holds her down with one foot and with her sheer strength pulls and rips the arms off the female Pain. The dog summons that was getting back up disappeared

"Your death," Sakura looks straight at where Nagato and Konan resided, "That's what my peace looks like"

Sakura throws the arms away from herself. She kneels down in the body and lifts up the head and gouge's out the eyes. Sakura lets the eyes roll away and gets up and steps on them. She looks at the three Pains remaining.

"Sorry safety precaution. I noticed that you guys are all connected," Sakura gets back into fighting position with her kunai up

"I'm finished," Shikamaru's voice came through on their communicators, "Sakura"

"I got it," Sakura flickered away

Pain noticed the kunoichi flicker away and he turns and looks at Shikamaru and Hinata, "You two certainly are strong, no one has ever given Pain this much trouble. But the man behind you, how weak is he that all you've done is protect him?"

"You're wrong, he's the strongest" Hinata replied, with that, she jumps away from Shikamaru leaving the crater alone

Pain looks up and sees Shikamaru's statue turn red. Pain outstretches his hand.

 **Banshou Te…**

"Hotaka!" Shikamaru yelled. Hotaka the bat inhaled and then released high-frequency ultrasonic waves towards Pain. Pain immediately retracted his hand. He puts up a purple swirling shield but it doesn't last for long. Nagato's chakra was getting too much interference, Pain couldn't hold it up for long. Shikamaru's other bat summons flew into the air and directed the same attack directed solely at the three Pains left standing. The three pains senses started to get severely blurred and painful. One of the Pains fell to the floor holding his head. Shikamaru runs towards them

"Raigo: Thousand Armed Murder"

Punches flew towards the three Pain's assaulting them relentlessly at as close range. All one thousand invisible strikes hit them and Shikamaru relaxed visibly. He bats continued their sound waves. Shikamaru walked closer to them taking out several kunai with explosion tags attached and threw them at their eyes. Each one made contact skewering each eye.

"Explode," Shikamaru muttered. The Kunai exploded in their targets. The heads of the pain exploded

Hinata landed next to Tsunade her eyes swelling with tears at Tsunade's state. Hinata touches Tsunade's face gently, tears slipping down. Tsunade's bade was dark and only skin and bones, at best she looked like a corpse that had been buried for years.

"You did your best, Tsunade-sama," Katsuyu nudges Hinata gently.

"She'll be okay right?" Hinata looks at Katsuyu, "I don't know. We have a bigger problem"

Hinata looks down and lets her hands glow over Tsunade's head, checking her condition.

"She will, with time," Hinata looks back at Tsunade. Shikamaru lands beside her only to fall down on his butt in shock at Tsunade's appearance.

"I know I'm not your summoner," Hinata started, "But can I take over and give you the chakra to heal everyone?"

"It's forbidden," Katsuyu says

"But there has to be another way?" Hinata pleads

Katsuyu shakes her head no

Hinata looks down at Tsunade in shock and activates her byakugan. Babies, triplets in Tsunade's stomach. And on the brink of dying.

"Fine, then I'll give Tsunade-sama all my chakra!" Hinata yells and she positions her hands over Tsunade's and her hands start to glow green.

"Troublesome" Shikamaru muttered as he gets into the same position over Tsunade's body with his hands glowing green.

"Shi-kun, Tsunade-sama is pregnant!," Hinata focuses even harder, "Use your eye and give her as much chakra as you can"

"You'll die!" Katsuyu scolds them as two of the slugs try to push Hinata and Shikamaru away. But Hinata and Shikamaru already put chakra in their knees and feet holding them steady.

"Why did you let her cast the jutsu if you knew she was pregnant?!" Hinata yells

"She believed in you three!" Katsuyu begged, "Even though she knew the cost, she put Konoha above all else"

"I know but I want to hear her say it again. NO, I NEED TO HEAR HER SAY IT AGAIN. She's the only light that I still believe in" Hinata's tears drip heavily onto her hands, "Naruto was my light but he deceived me and let me down; he was the one thing true in my heart, in my mind. Tsunade. She-she picked me back up, though that darkness still remains in my heart" Hinata pushes more chakra into her hands, "She's the one light I still have faith in, when everything else fails, when everything else fades. She's my hope. She's my truth. SHE'S NOT LEAVING ME UNTIL SHE'S OLD AND SHE CAN'T GET OUT OF BED ANYMORE!"

Both Shikamaru and Hinata push more chakra into Tsunade and Katsuyu hands her head down. Slowly her skin starts to plump and the babies heartbeats return to normal ranges.

"Hina-chan" Shikamaru whispered

"Shikamaru your either with me or against me. If you're not going to continue to help then get out of my way!" Hinata yelled at him

'She's not going to listen to reason' Shikamaru looked back at Tsunade, "I'm your pillar too"

"I know" Hinata whispered, "I hope I'm yours too"

Grandma Toad looks down from the Kage faces at what just occurred. "They have it under control. I'll tell PA, maybe we could at least help with the cleanup and protecting Konoha while tha get back on tha feet"

Hinata looks forward, "Katsuyu, can you go down there and take those rods out of the Pain bodies? I'm scared they might have another trick up their sleeves if they stay in"

"Okay," Katsuyu says, one of her slugs go down slowly and envelopes one of the bodies. The slug spits out the body without the rods. The slug moves to the second body and does the same. Spitting out the second body without the rods. As the slug goes towards Yahiko's corpse, the corpse starts to move and gets pushed over by Pain coming up from the ground.

"He's alive," Katsuyu informs Hinata and Shikamaru. All the ANBU and Hinata and Shikamaru look over standing up to their feet

Inoichi, Ino, Shizune's body, Ibiki, Shikaku, and Ko appear next to Shikamaru and Hinata.

"Dad," Shikamaru turns to his dad, "I think I have to go"

"I don't know what's going on but tell me everything later," Shikaku says looking at the Pain on the battlefield

"Mom…she's gonna kill me," Shikamaru says looking away from his dad

Shikaku nods his head, "If it helps, there a five-second delay between his jutsus"

"Hinata-sama" Ko says

Hinata and Shikamaru jump down onto the field standing in front of Pain. Pain has two white pieces of paper on his eyes.

Are those his new eyes?

Sakura POV

I punched a hole into the tree where the two people were residing. The masterminds. A woman with blue hair immediately stands in front of him. Getting ready to protect him. There was a huge metal contraption that the man was in. So that's how he does it. He had two white pieces of papers over his eyes.

"Tell me how does peace include the destruction of my village," Sakura said getting into her fighting stance

"Like this," Nagato pulls his hands out of the machine and clasp them together

 **Chibaku Tensei**

"Your body won't be able to take anymore!" the woman yells

A black orb leaves Nagato's hands and slowly heads toward me.

'Run'

That was the only thing I could think and do

In the Village of the Toads

Grandma Toad landed in front of Naruto and Pa.

"So how is it Ma?" Pa asks anxiously

"The village was attacked but it seems Naruto's peers were able to take down the…" Before Ma could finish her sentence

"I'll get ready to leave" Naruto said monotone, "We should get to the village and assist"

Naruto turned around tried to walk towards his cave home to get ready to leave. Ma was holding onto him. Naruto looked down at Ma.

"Listen Naruto! The village was attacked but…"

Another frog jumped towards them.

"Bad news Fukusaku-sama!"

The frog reached Naruto, Ma and Pa.

"The enemy that we thought was dead, came back to life. Naruto's peers are preparing to fight once again," the toad practically yelled

Ma let go of Naruto, "When I reach Konoha, I'll summon you there"

Ma turns around and jumps away from Naruto and Pa.

Pa turns to Naruto

"What's wrong Naruto?" Naruto looks up at the sky

"I haven't gotten as much done as I would like before going back," Naruto looks at Pa, "For some reason, I don't want to go back. The weight of my promises. I'm not strong enough to bear them yet"

"Would you really let the village you love deal with this on their own" Pa jumps onto Naruto's shoulder

"No but I haven't been there in four years," Naruto started towards the cave, "Will they take me back?"

Pa jumps down and Naruto puts on his shirt and a uniform black jacket. Naruto kneels down and slips on his sandals. Pa jumps back onto his shoulder.

In Konoha

Sakura was running high speed back towards the crater

"Hinata I heading to your chakra signature," Sakura's voice came through on the communicators, "Get this thing off me"

Hinata activates her Byakugan and looked from area to area looking for Sakura

"I don't see you" Hinata says back

"Turn off your damn Byakugan and try to sense where I am," Sakura yells. Shikamaru and Hinata wince. Hinata turns it off

"How'd she know?" Hinata whispered closing her eyes. Hinata smiles, Sakura was right. "There" Hinata turns her Byakugan back on and fixes on Sakura

"You need to come closer I can't get a lock"

"Thus, tell me, what does peace look like?" Pain said, "In a place where hatred rules, other than pain, what else would create peace?"

"Peace, huh?" Shikamaru puts his head down

"Your friend said that my death will bring her peace. Before I kill you, tell me is there a better peace than one not brought by pain?"

"Love…acceptance," Shikamaru pauses," but where love is, hatred is there too. Humans are flawed and selfish so hurt will also have to follow. The only thing you can do is make sure everyone knows that everyone is equal. But true peace, I don't…it doesn't exist"

"Then you don't have an answer," Pain readies himself but then Sakura comes running around the circumference and Hinata's eye locks in on the black orb and transport it to another dimension. Sakura slows down as she's the orb disappears. She jumps down next to Hinata.

"I'll give you a quick death," Pain raises his hands

"Shikamaru, Hinata help me make my dream come true. I want to bring Sasuke-kun and Naruto back. But they need a home to come back to, help me protect this home" Sakura whispers through the communicator.

"For Sasuke and Tsunade-sama, I'll help you," Hinata takes out a long band from her kunai bag and wraps it around her eyes and then takes out two kunai

"You woman are troublesome" Shikamaru takes out his band and wraps it around his eyes, Sakura takes out hers and wraps it around her eyes. "There's only one plan," Shikamaru starts, "lead him away from the village, engage him and take those rods out"

The three preceded to take off their shoes and armor.

 _Flashback_

 _Hinata, Sakura, and Shikamaru stand at the entrance of the Forest of Death. Sakura feels a shiver run down her spine as she remembers what happened in there._

" _Go ahead take of you shoes and your coats," Tsuande says as she walks closer to the trio._

" _What are we doing here?" Shikamaru says as he leans over taking off his shoes_

" _We are doing sensory training," Tsunade says, "the only sense you can use is touch and your ability to pick up chakra signatures. Tsunade hands them ear plugs and bands._

" _Don't tell me we have to catch you" Sakura grumbles as she takes the ear plugs and puts one I her ear._

" _Nope, I have three lollipops stuck around my body. We'll stay as here until you manage to get all three of them"_

 _Flashback Ends_

"At least I get to hear" Hinata says as she takes off Gai-sensei weights off her legs. She throws them away from her. They make a small crater in the wall of the crater. Two more craters are formed by Sakura and Shikamaru

"If we're alive after this…let's go to the beach with Rookie Nine," Sakura smiles and points her face to the sky, "I miss the sound of the ocean"

The trio crouch down low and get ready


	5. Chapter 5

'It's because people are selfish' the thought resonates in Shikamaru's mind as he pushes his chakra into Asuma's chakra blades and grips his two tanto tighter

''Because we don't understand each other' Sakura purses her lips as she takes out her a kunai and her tanto. She grips them tightly, 'Sasuke-kun'

The trio run straight towards Pain. Hinata and Sakura zig-zag each other waiting for a chance to attack. A rod drops from Pains sleeve as he engages Hinata and Sakura. Hinata uses her gentle fist style trying to land a hit on Pain only to have him block or dodge every move. Sakura ducks and swings her leg under Pain only to have him jump up in the air.

Hinata flashes behind him and punches him away from the center of the crater. Sakura runs as she senses Pain body moving quickly in the air. Shikamaru and Hinata run after her, following the trajectory of Pain signature. Sakura reaches the outskirts as Pain hits the ground tumbling.

"Doton: Multiple Earth Excavation" Sakura slams her fist on the ground and multiple volcano like hills form above ground. The ground shakes violently. Pain hits the volcano-like hills that Sakura just made and uses it to steady himself. But as he looks up Shikamaru is already in front of him with his blades ready to strike.

Pain starts turning himself and a wall of purple like chakra forms around him deflecting Shikamaru sending Shikamaru flying in the air. Shikamaru smirks as he lands on a nearby tree and Pain looks down and sees a web of wire on the ground with explosive tags that Shikamaru had laid.

"Katon: Dragon Flame" Hinata spits out a massive fire stream that runs and works its way up the wire web that Shikamaru had created. The explosive tags that lined the wires started going off on by one.

'They're fast' Pain's eyes widen and he slaps his hands together and quirts large amounts of water all around him from his mouth and then tries to jump away only to realize that he's trapped in the wire.

Sakura punches the ground making two small craters and then digs her fingers into the earth and picks up a massive piece of land. She hurls it at Pain. Pain slaps his hands together again and then as the piece of land comes closer to him he hits it with his bare palms cutting the pieces of land in half cleanly.

Sakura picks up another and this time turns it vertically and hurls it at him. Hinata jumps towards the piece of land and kicks it allowing the piece of land to gain more speed as it heads straight towards Pain. Hinata lands and takes off running at almost the same speed as the boulder. Sakura takes off running towards Hinata and Shikamaru kneels. Hinata starts to veer right and goes around Pain and skids to a stop and then heads straight for pain. The water Pain and shot out from earlier pooled around her feet.

Shikamaru puts his hands together.

 _Flashback_

" _Let's strengthen your shadow techniques" Tsunade says she throws a ball up in the air._

 _Shikamaru kneels on one knee and gets ready. Tsunade shakes her head no._

" _Shoes off, blindfold on, ear plugs in,"_

" _But how am I going to see the shadow?"_

" _Easy, you're going to sense where everything is, feel the sun's position, and then calculate in your head where the show should be and then lock onto that shadow" Tsunade smirks looking at Shikamaru's confused face. "you can do it…no you have to do it. Or you're not leaving this spot"_

" _But I can only hold my shows jutsus for 5 minutes at a time" Shikamaru grinded his teeth together, 'Tsunade was crazy'_

" _Well maybe we could get you to hold it for thirty minutes instead? By the way, the ball is going to be bouncing fast" Tsunade makes a clone and begins to walk away._

 _Shikamaru grumbles and puts his ear plugs in and then covers his eyes. He takes off his shoes. And gets back into position._

 _The Tsunade clone toss the ball and let it bounce. Shikamaru tries to feel where it is and sends out his shadow. He didn't get it._

' _This is impossible'_

 _1 ball throw…30 ball throws…180 ball throws…_

 _Shikamaru collapses on the ground in exhaustion._

" _We'll take a break and eat," The Tsunade clone starts to walk towards._

" _No" Shikamaru yells, "I can do it"_

 _The Tsunade clone gets back into place and Shikamaru kneels again and gets ready_

 _181 ball throws…300 ball throws…400 ball throws…578 ball throws…579 ball throw…_

' _I got it' Shikamaru tries to stand up immediately only to faint. The Tsunade clone catches him._

' _Good job Shikamaru, let's see if you can do it tomorrow'_

 _Flashback Ends_

"Shadow Clutch," Shikamaru whispers as he grabs a hold of the bolder.

Small vortexes form in the water as she goes and needles shoot out from them towards Pain. Pain lifts his hands and repels Hinata and the boulder away from himself. Hinata and the boulder are blown away. But Sakura slides herself under the boulder and readies her fist for a punch.

Sakura's fist contact Pain stomach sending him flying further away from the village.

"Come on Hinata!" Sakura yells as she and Shikamaru run after Pain's signature.

Hinata pulls herself away from the dent that her body made in one of Sakura's volcano like hills, smiled. She rolls her neck around as if she's loosening up and then takes off after Sakura and Shikamaru.

"Version 3" Shikamaru says into the communicator

"Hai" Sakura and Hinata affirm. Sakura speeds up, moving ahead of Shikamaru and lands on the forest floor.

"Doton: Sphere of Graves!" Sakura yells and slams her palms on the ground. The landscape of the forest starts to change and the ground opens. The earth shakes sending waves all the way to the damaged Konoha. Trees fall into the new crevices that are opened and a rock formation close to the shape of a canyon forms. Pain fall into the new rock formation but lands on his feet. The land tremors as from the shock of being opened.

'Good, he's far away'

Hinata takes out multiple shuriken and throws it at Pain. Shikamaru runs after the shurikens while weaving signs.

"Katon: Phoenix Flower" Shikamaru blows fire onto the Shuriken as they hurl towards Pain. Pain dodges them easily and begins to study their movements. 'What are they hoping to create here?'

Hinata goes into the canyon and stands on the wall, "Katon: Multiple Red Spiders"

Hinata blows out a long stream of fire that forms itself into multiple spiders. The spiders crawl along the sides of the canyon and go to the top the face down ready to attack anything that tries to leave. "Raiton: Shadow Clone Jutsu" Two other lightening Hinatas stand next to her.

Sakura and Shikamaru weave signs together, "Doton: Sphere of the Underworld"

The ground of the canyon starts to bumble a black brown goop. The goop rises higher and higher as it bumbles, Pain jump away as it begins to reach him. He stands on the side of the wall. But black, dark green and red moss starts to work its way up the walls. Pain watches the moss reaches his feet and starts to singe his shoes. Pain moves off the wall and floats near it. Animals start rising out of the swamp. Snakes and alligator tangle themselves as they rise from the goop. Egrets and hawk soar out of the goop and take their places at the top of the canyon. Cougars and wolves jump out of the goop and onto the canyon ridges on either side respectively. Their teeth gnashing and growling at the humans. Dead trees begin to grow rapidly. Their branches not sprouting any vegetation. A purple mucus forms on them and begins to drip down to the floor beneath. Hinata takes off her blindfold as she hangs off the wall. The moss had no effect on the three of them. The chakra that the swamp held was that of Shikamaru and Sakura. Their chakra deemed her friendly. But the animals would be ready to eat the three of them either way. No matter who the caster was.

'This is what it looks like…' Hinata stared in awe. Usually when they did this combination their opponent would still be attacking and they wouldn't have time to take in the complexity of their death trap. It was one that Shikamaru created. Hinata and her clones jump at to the highest point of the canyon and she turns on her Byakugan. Sakura and Shikamru take off their blindfolds.

"He must never get a chance to leave" Shikamaru says over the communicator, "Go!"

Back by the crater.

"What going happening now?" Ino asks Ko

"Sakura is fighting Pain" Ko says as he continues to focus on their location

"Such high level jutsus done in succession," Inoichi says, "Tsunade really has trained them well"

"Ibiki, you and I will have a talk later about this" Shikaku says

"You know I'm not allowed to talk about ANBU personnel," Ibiki smirks and folds his arms

"I used to think your son was rather the stationary fighting type Shikaku," Inoichi jokes, "I wonder what changed him"

Ko gasps

"They did it!" Ko yells ecstatically, "They brought Pain down"

Katsuyu spreads the word everywhere that the three had brought Pain down and cheers erupt everywhere.

"Are they heading back this way?" Ino asks

"Hinata-sama is taking out the rods now" Ko says

"Are they on their way back yet?" Shikaku asks anxiously.

"We should go after the controller" Ibiki intrudes

Inoichi slaps Shikaku's back, "My friend here is about to have a heart attack if he doesn't see his sons face"

Ko nods his head, "Hinata-sama is supporting Sakura-san and Shikamaru-san. It seems the two are severely drained." Ko points to a spot and Shikamaru, Sakura, and Hinata are walking towards the outer rim of the crater.

Shikaku stands proudly and smirks but his face starts to turn sour and then into shock when another Akatsuki member appears behind them.

"Behind you!" Ino yells

Hinata snaps around dropping Sakura and Shikamaru who go tumbling down the side of the crater. She runs towards the new person and tries to punch them only for her hand to get repelled. But Hinata stands her ground with chakra at her feet. She continues to push her fist forward against the invisible force. It was taking all her strength. Hinata's arm can no longer take the pressure and her ulna breaks away from the rest of the bone and punctures her skin. Hinata let's out a blood curling scream as she's forced backwards and flies towards the center of the crater. The Pain floats down. Hinata gets up and refuses to look at the damage done to her arm. Hinata slowly stumbles as best she can towards Shikamaru and Sakura.

'The pain…It hurts…it hurts…' Hinata grinds her teeth. In their fight with the other Pain Hinata had fallen into the swap and an alligator had snapped down on her midsection breaking a few ribs. She probably was at her pain limit. Hinata bites her lip trying to focus on another pain and forget her major ones.

"Did you really think I wouldn't have other bodies at my disposal?" the new Pain floats closer and closer towards her.

Hinata forms her Lion fist in one hand, she bids her time and slows down as the Pain get closer. She moves quickly and punches the Pain catching him off guard. The Pain flies back a bit but gets up after the fall.

"This is a new addition, I haven't gotten the chance to get use to it" Pain lifts his hand and repel Hinata. Hinata flies head first into the wall of the crater, Her head cracks and blood gushes out. Hinata gurgles blood as she tries to stand up. But falls on her face. Her blood drenches her face.

"No, no" Hinata murmurs as Pain walks in Sakura's direction. Sakura had also fainted from exhaustion on the way back.

The new Pain walks up to Sakura and a rod falls from his sleeve. He raises it and then brings it down over Sakura's heart

"No!"

Hinata's yell was enough signal for the Grandma frog to jumped into the crater. Shikamaru tries to get up but is too exhausted.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu" seal marks appear on the floor under the frog's hand and an explosion creates a lot of smoke. The smoke begins to clear and people lean forward looking to see what happened. Toads…

Naruto had finally come back. Naruto face looked determined as he stood on top of Gamakichi who was standing on top of Gamabuta. Gamaken and Gamahiro stand ready at his side. His red and black cape blew in the wind. Naruto started to look around.

Naruto POV

"Where are we?" Naruto looks around confused.

Where ever this was, this place was wasted. Complete deserted and…

"Where's the enemy?" Gamabuta asks his eyes also darting around until Ma flickers in front of them. She lands gracefully in front of her husband.

"What tha meanin' of this, Ma?" Pa asks his wife

'She was suppose to summon us to Konoha,' Naruto thought grimly, 'This is a waste land'

"Why didn't ya summon us ta Konoha?" Pa continued questioning his wife

Ma's eyes harden at her husband and me, "This is Konoha"

I felt my body rattle as I turned around and around looking for telltale signs that this was Konoha.

"What do you mean, Granny Shima?" Gamakichi asked laughing at the thought that this place could really be Konoha. I wanted to laugh too. There was no way…

"Take a good look around ya" Ma turned away from us and faced forward

I'm looking but I'm not seeing any…the Hokage faces. The Hokage faces. This really was Konoha. I looked down and saw the huge crater, I tried to feel for Sakura and Kakashi-sensei signatures. But nothing. I couldn't feel a thing.

"I-Im-Impossible," Gamabunta stutter below me. That was the same feeling I had. It was impossible that something could happen to make Konoha like this. How could Granny Tsunade let something like this happen.

"It should be clear who did this. Your peers were able to get rid of all the Pains, but it seems that the original Pain was able to summon another unfinished body to use" looked back at me while she said this. My peers? Rookie Nine had gotten so strong?

Ma continues, "your peers were injured, tired and caught completely off guard before they could make a stand. I feel the same presence from the day I was on little Jiraiya's shoulder."

"What do you mean unfinished, Granny Shima?" Gambunta asked

"He doesn't look like a complete Pain like the others who were killed"

My eyes harden, this enemy had killed my teacher and destroyed my village. My anger rose to new heights I had never felt before. He was going to pay. Afterward, I would leave Konoha again and finish my training. There was still more things I had left to do, planned. Yes, this is just a pit stop.

And there he was, with dark brown hair and purple ring-like eyes, weird piercings all over his face and an Akatsuki cloak with a hole in the middle.

I heard a grunt coming from below me. I took my eyes off the man in front of my and looked to the side. A pineapple head.

"Shikamaru…" I haven't seen him since I got back, I jumped down and landed next to him

"Naruto…" he struggled to stay up, "Why are you…" A man jumped beside him with a scarred face and a pineapple shaped hair. He knelt beside him and helped him sit up

"Shikamaru, I haven't seen you in a long time" I said as I walked closer. Was he the one that had defeated all six Pain? An ANBU symbol on his arm was clearly visible.

'Lazy Shikamaru had become a ANBU?'

"You bastard…" Shikamaru said as his father put his arm around his neck to get him up

"Tell me…I can't sense Sakura-chan or Kakashi-sensei" I said as I looked into his eyes, there was an emotion there that I had never seen from Shikamaru before. But a tear slipped out of his eye and the emotion was gone and replaced with sadness. He lifted his arm and pointed in a direction. I followed his finger and there she was.

"Sakura-chan…" I muttered. I closed my mouth and forced the urge to vomit away. There she was, impaled on a rod. Her mouth slightly open and her eyes closed. Her black clothes and black gloves made her skin shine brighter in contrast. At least she died with her eyes closed. My eyes settled on her arm as I ran towards her. An ANBU marking on her arm. I fell on my knees next to her and was afraid to touch her. I brushed her bangs off her face. My anger boiled replacing any sadness I had felt. This enemy had taken away Jiraiya-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, and Sakura. Pa put his webbed hand on my arm.

"Save the mourning for later Naruto-chan," Pa consoled me.

"Pa!" Ma called over to us. I looked in the direction of her voice. Blue hair…

 _Flashback_

" _I-I l-love you N-Naruto-kun! I k-know y-you never noticed m-me, but e-ever since you s-saved me from those b-bullies, I-I a-admired you."_

 _I watched as her tears glistened in the moonlight. My heart moved at her words but I fought back any warmth that she was sending me way. I had already made up my mind._

" _And t-then s-slowly I-I started to fall in l-l-love with you"_

 _She had loved me all this time. But I loved Sakura…this was the first time someone told me they loved me. Fear, for some reason fear was rising along with my dark thoughts. The Kyuubi growled in my head saying she's lying. But I knew Hinata-chan, she wouldn't lie._

" _I don't care whether you are the nine-tails host…"_ _She knew and here she was still saying she loved me. Her warmth, I need her warmth._

" _or n-not. T-To me you are just N-Naruto. I love you!"_

 _Flashback Ends_

"She's alive!" Ma yelled my way. As I focused on her body I saw the same ANBU marking on her arm.

Pa pulled me back to my senses, "Come on boy let's deal with this enemy first. Gamakichi take these girls first"

Gamakichi jumped down from his father's head and went and picked up Hinata first and then came over and picked up Sakura. He pulled Sakura off the rod and her blood dripped onto my pants, then my shirt, and then my face. I put my hand on my face and wiped some of Sakura's blood off.

'Kuso'

"I've been looking for you. It seems you've come to understand pain" the man spoke. I wanted to kill him. Because of me. All for me. I need to end this quickly

"Uzumaki Naruto" this man infuriated me as he spoke. I felt something move up my leg. A white and blue slug. Katsuyu, Tsunade's summon. I vaguely remembered her. I took her off and placed her on my shoulder.

"Where's baa-chan?" I asked

"She used all her chakra protecting the villagers from the blast, she's in a coma now" Katsuyu said sadly

"We don't know where this seventh Pain came from. Hinata, Sakura and Shikamaru had killed all six Pain that were here earlier. Until this seventh one came" Katsuyu's voice just kept getting quieter and quieter. They had gotten strong. I'm surprised, I'll just play around with this guy and then end it. From the looks of it, he's nothing but a puppet and then I'll kill the puppeteer.

"I'm gonna end this!" I yelled at the top of my voice, yup that sounds like my old self. I pretended to make my body shake in anger. Last time I had felt this way was when Sasuke and I fought 4 years ago, I'll never feel that away again.

Pa and Ma jumped onto the scroll on my back, "Katsuyu-chan, hide in Naruto-chan's pocket"

I picked up Katsuyu and put her in my pocket.

This infuriating man in front me was looking me over. I created two shadow clones and the stood next to me ready. Let's play a game. Old Naruto I'll let you shine while I plan.

"I see…You've become a sage" he said monotonely, "It looks as though you've acquired the same techniques as Jiraiya-sensei"

Sensei! Why was he calling Ero-sennin, sensei? "Did you just call Jiraiya "Sensei"?"

This man knew Jiraiya? There was no way!

"Jiraiya taught me techniques as well. He was my former master"

Ero-sennin taught him techniques. He was his teacher too? That's not possible…after being in contact with Ero-sennin how could someone turn into…well…this!

"I'm like your senior apprentice" It must have made him so proud to say that, the way him voice sounded, "As fellow devotees of our master, we should come to understand each other. Our master wished for peace"

This man was insane, this is his definition of peace.

My clones gathered around me and we started forming my new technique.

"Are you fucking with me?!" I yelled as I held my new completed jutsu up in the air. I ran forward aiming for him.


	6. Chapter 6

To those of who can write action sequences. You guys are amazing. I cannot…

Thank you for reading this far.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Naruto POV

"Are you fucking with me?!" I yelled as I held my new completed jutsu up in the air. I ran forward aiming for him.

"That's some chakra!" I heard Ma say behind me.

I threw my new Rasen Shuriken at him only to have it to have it halted by his hands. He started to suck-in the chakra. But I continued to control my jutsu from afar and it expaneded on him

"Pain has the power to repel and attract things. But there's a break of 5 second break in between. That's what your aiming for" Katsuyu whispered, "It seems this Pain has the power of two of the other Pains. This can attract, repel, and absorb chakra"

"Absorb chakra you say?" Naruto pondered as he made the signs for Kage Bushin no Jutsu. Three other clones stood by his side as they one of the clones started forming two rasengans in his and his clone's hands

Hinata POV

My consciousness was coming around and I barely saw Ino's face healing me.

"Wake up Hinata!" Ino's voice

Drop. Drop.

"Wake up Hinata!" Ino's voice again. I squint in pain as I feels the skin on my head pulling together under Ino's glowing hand

"Kami!" Ino moved behind me and helped me sit up. I looked over at the battle field, everything was fuzzy.

"I-Ino w-where's Sakura…" My vocal cords were rebelling against me. I felt Ino shake behind me

"S-S-She's de-dead the-n?" My eyesight was coming back.

"Nope I'm right here" I look up at Sakura's smiling face, I hear fighting going on below and look past Sakura

"Ino-chan who's on the battle field?" My voice was still soft but it was finally clearer.

"Naruto he's fighting the seventh Pain" Katsuyu answered me. I laughed until it hit me…Katsuyu-sama was no liar. That means the man on that field was Naruto. I felt anger bubbling in me.

All of a sudden had energy that I never thought I had possessed. I stood up dizzily and watch the match. Ino and Sakura helped hold me up. I wanted to see how much Naruto had grown and why the hell he was here. He was not allowed to die on that battlefield, which means he would have to defeat Pain. I could wait until he was healed and well. Then I would kill him.

Happiness. I felt a strand of it, lying deep in my heart. Never. It didn't matter if my heart wanted Naruto. He betrayed me and let me down. The different reasons as to why I loved Naruto were now floating somewhere in the ether. I looked around us the only things that were there were metal and rock.

"You promised me…" A voice to the left of me, Shi-kun

"I won't…"

"If I wasn't awake you would have," Saku-chan said

"Maybe"

"Hinata," Shi-kun started

"I don't like you calling me my full name"

"You need chakra" Saku-chan

I activated my byakugan, "You have a full reserve"

"I'm physically exhausted" Shi-kun smiled

"Take a food and blood pill" Saku-chan smiled too

"What a drag" I heard rustling coming from his direction and then a poof. I wondered how much resources he still had in that small bag of his

"Feel better?"

"Shikamaru" Shikaku said

"I'm fine dad" Shikamaru reassured his dad before turning back to me

"What happens if Naruto wins?"

"He'll be the village hero. You won't be able to free kill him then," he would have gained the villagers respect

"His fight is going well" It was as if I jinxed it. The little frog by Naruto's side was impaled on Pain's rod.

Naruto's eyes were already leaking tears and Pain's new assault on him was pushing him back. I rocked forward on my soles in anticipation. Pain was not allowed to hurt Naruto.

There it was it happened Pain drove a rod through Naruto's leg and I felt it on my own body as if I was the one being hurt. Each one sent a jolt of Pain through me.

I'm the only one allowed to kill Naruto. HE'S MINE!

I launched myself at Pain

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After Battle. Normal POV

Sakura and Shikamaru exit the makeshift erected building that housed Tsunade and Hinata. They nodded to the ANBU outside and walked towards the group that was waiting for them. The explanation that they both knew they had to give. Pieces had to line up now.

Sakura and Shikamaru approached the group. Kakashi point over to the forest.

"Let's talk somewhere private" Kakashi says and everyone moves. The walks towards the edge of the forest until Kakashi stops. Sakura and Shikamaru looks at all the eyes waiting for answers. Everyone was here.

Ino, Chouji, TenTen, Neji, Lee, Kiba, Akamaru, Shino, Naruto, Kakashi, Shikaku, Inoichi, Kurenai, Asuma, Gai, Choza, Yamato, Ko and Sai were all looking at the two.

"You owe me an explanation Shikamaru," Shikaku says breaking the silence, "You promised me one before you left"

"You're not the only one who wants an explanation Nara-sama" Sakura snaps, "Shikamaru-kun, Hinata-chan, and I deserve one as well"

"Saku-chan…" Shikamaru murmurs

"The night Naruto left Konoha, everything started then" Shikamaru says as he looks at his father

"But Naruto never left Konoha" Kakashi says immediately

"Naruto did try to leave Konoha almost four years ago Kakashi-senpai," Yamato reveals, "He succeeded. Stunned didn't want the other villages knowing that Naruto was missing. So she told everyone that he was traveling with Jiraiya, Sai and I"

Kakashi frowns, "You never told me this. Tsunade said he left to train with Jiraiya"

Kakashi looks at Naruto waiting for some sort of answer, but none came from the whiskered ninja. His face was emotionless and his eyes lazer focused on the sky.

"Naruto used the fact that Hinata-chan loved him in order to get her to move aside and let him leave. He told Hinata that he loved her too before he knocked her unconscious."

"You did what Naruto?!" TenTen yells

"Narutard! Don't you know that Hinata's loved you for forever? She would do…" Kiba yells at Naruto only to be interrupted by Shikaku

"But what does that have to do with you Shikamaru?" Shikaku asks getting impatient

"I was the one that found Hinata-chan that night. Hinata realized when she woke up that Naruto had used her feelings. Hinata's love and admiration for Naruto suddenly flipped into hate and she made it her new goal to become strong enough to kill Naruto"

Naruto eyes widen at Shikamaru's words as he realized just how much he hurt Hinata. All around him everyone gasps at Hinata's new pursuit. Naruto dropped to the ground on his butt

"Hinata approached Shi-kun and I. She asked us to form a team, a team to help us get stronger together. My new goal was to bring back Naruto and Sasuke-kun and Shikamaru's goal was to never feel useless again. As good as being the brain of the operations was, he still felt that he couldn't protect the one's closes to him. From then on, we trained, as you guys know we had multiple teachers" Sakura pauses before deciding to tell everyone their secret.

"Right after Asuma-sensei got hurt, Tsunade called us to her office…" Sakura is interrupted when she feels her wrist being grabbed and yanked at lightly. She turns to the source and Shikamaru shakes his head no making everyone around them very curious as to what she is about to say.

"Let her say it son, or I'll have Inoichi pull it out of her" Shikamaru's father was losing his patience. Had Shikamaru not stopped the girl, he would have been very happy to hear that his son worked very hard and made it to ANBU before he did. But Shikamaru wasn't acting according to his expectations. Secrets weren't something that the Nara family took lightly or his wife for that matter.

"We have no choice Shi-kun" Sakura chides him. Everyone including his team had realizes that they had been using pet names. Just how close did these three become. Sakura didn't even use them with her own team

"That's not why I stopped you. I'll tell them" Shikamaru steps closer to his father.

"Tsunade-sama gave us eyes from an Orochimaru lab that was abandoned" Shikamaru continues despite the horrid stares everyone was now giving them, "We took out our left eyes and replaced them with the one's from Orochimaru's lab. Because we had those eyes, it made us valuable to Konoha. We were immediately made ANBU"

"Was that the same day you we celebrated you guys becoming Jonin?" Neji asks

Sakura nods her head.

"Where are your eyes?" Inoichi asks

"Our left eyes are in the Hokage office preserved…but the Hokage's office was destroyed during the attack. I think the eyes are gone…"

"I'm disappointed in you, son" Shikakku says as he turns to leave

"You had no idea how it felt…" Shikamaru whispers as he bows his head, "I was the highest ranked person on that team, but I was so useless. I couldn't even save myself. I would be six-feet under if Temari-chan…"

Shikamaru raises his head and looks at his dad's turn back, "I know there are times when it's okay to be weak dad. But as a shinobi, I hope those times can be when I'm around friends and family. I want to be as strong as my mind."

"If Naruto hadn't left Shikamaru-chan, would you have still mutilated yourself?" Inoichi asks

"To get Sasuke-kun back, I don't regret my decision. Sasuke-kun and Naruto are worth it" Sakura states proudly, she looks around at everyone but none of them were looking at her. She knew that they were also disappointed in them, she was willing to go to the ends of the earth, "Wouldn't you do the same for your teammates? When you're in the same position as me, then tell me if you wouldn't do it. As of right now, we are no different than Kakashi-sensei!"

Sakura knew no one could say anything about that once she framed it that way. Shikaku, Inoichi and Choza leave the group standing there.

'You'll never understand me, dad…But one day will you forgive me?' Shikamaru watched his father's retreating back. His father might be disappointed but it's his mother he would have to deal with when he got home, Nara Yoshino.

Shikamaru shivered at the thought.

"You're still wrong Sakura" Kakashi says as he leans up on the tree behind them. He closes his eyes and breathes out heavily

"I'm not asking for forgiveness from you guys," Sakura looks around at their friends, "I just don't feel that on my own, with my own abilities I could have brought Naruto and Sasuke-kun home safely. Even with the fight with Pain, it's because I used this eye that we could take out the first two Pain"

"Did you use your eyes to take out the last four Pain?" Kurenai asks

"No" Shikamaru shakes his head

"By trusting each other and your skills. You were able to take down the four other Pain, is that correct?" Kurenai-sensei was trying to make everything into a training lesson. He knew Kurenai-sensei would do that.

"Yes," Sakura said

"Isn't that easier?" Kurenai's voice was soft but hard

"Yes" Sakura and Shikamaru nodded. Kurenai looks at her husband Asuma before walking closer to the kids

"You kids sure are foolish but since you didn't use your eyes to win against the last four Pains. I trust in your ability to take care of Konoha" Kurenai stops in front of Shikamaru and Sakura and brings her hands up cupping their cheeks, "You protected the one's you love with your own abilities, I proud of you"

"…Thank you…" Sakura whispers as tears runs down her face. Her body still in shock and someone believed in her. Sakura looks behind her at the other senseis. Gai-sensei had his regular pose with his thumb up, Asuma-sensei and Kakashi-sensei were smirking.

Kurenai quickly takes her hands away and brings them to her stomach, "Ooo, the baby kicked. I guess she's saying good job too" Sakura reaches her hand and touches Kurenai's round stomach.

'Will Sasuke and I ever get the chance to see my stomach big like that?' Sakura feels punch hit her hand she jumps a bit and moves her hands away smiling sheepishly

"Come on Asuma-kun, I think it's time for me to put my legs up or they'll get fatter than they are now" Kurenai laughs as she walks away

Asuma wheels himself closer to Shikamaru and pats his arm before wheeling away from the two following his wife.

"Seeing how strong you three are, I could see why Tsunade would give you those eyes" Kakashi-sensei speculates

"Why did you leave Naruto?" Shino asks quietly but loud enough for Naruto to hear him. Everyone looks at Naruto now

"Sasuke's best friend, that was one of my most precious titles that I ever held in my life" Naruto starts, "Sasuke was my light, even though I realized the change in him. I should have done more. I should have said more. By time I said what I wanted to, his heart had already changed. It was too hard, so all of my words just bounced off."

Naruto clenches his hands together, "I was useless. I didn't want to look at Kakashi-sensei or Sakura-chan. I had once chance to bring back Teme and I failed them both. Every time I thought of Teme"

Naruto inhales sharply.

"No matter how hard I tried…no matter how much I pushed myself. I lost the person who was like a brother to me. He slipped right through my fingers"

Naruto brings his palms up to his face and looks at them intensely, "Useless, Pathetic, Weak, Emptiness. Those words just kept playing in my mind. In order to bring back Sasuke, all of you…all of you got hurt and we…I had nothing to show for you scars. So I left. I realize what Sasuke had. This village could never give me the type of power and strength that I would need to bring Sasuke back"

Kakashi walks over to Naruto and puts his both hands on his shoulders.

"All the time Sasuke, Sakura-chan, and I spent as Team 7, it felt as if everything was fake. I couldn't stay here. The faster that I left and brought Sasuke-teme back, was the faster that I could tell myself that everything wasn't a lie. So, I packed everything, I listened to my darkest thoughts and I left. Hinata was at the gate though. She told me…"

"She told you she loved you. Even though you had the Kyuubi, she loves you. She wanted to be by your side. And you still walked away, you didn't need to accept her but you still walked away. You and Sasuke-kun…you really are brothers" Sakura looks away from him as her tears streamed down her face, "You made the kind, happy Hinata-chan turn into something unrecognizable. Good job Naruto"

Sakura turns her back to him

"When she told me that, my heart felt warm but my doubts and that fear just kept rising. My heart was happy, happy that someone could love me…despite knowing..."

"I was wrong for asking you to make me promises. Promises that we both should have carried together but dammit Naruto! You are a lot of things Naruto but a coward was never on that list. How could you tell her you love her?!"

"I do love her. I love her the same way I love Ino-chan, TenTen, like a sister." Naruto finally looks at Sakura, "But I also knew what I needed right then wasn't the love she had for me, what I needed. Was to work as hard as possible to get to my goal"

"I get it Naruto" Naruto looks at Shikamaru, "Even you have days where your weak and need a helping hand. Naruto"

Shikamaru walks closer to Naruto, "When you feel like that next time. Come talk to one of us. You're one of us. I don't know if Hina-chan will ever forgive you, but I do. Despite Saku-chan's scolding just now. She's really happy that your back."

Shikamaru grabs Naruto, pulling him up and hugs him, "The reason why I'm like this is because I felt just like you did. We are here for you Naruto"

Naruto hugs Shikamaru back and the boys separate

"But I'm not back Shikamaru" Naruto looks Shikamaru in the eye, "I haven't finished my training. I leave again once Granny Tsunade wakes up"

"What!?" Sakura growls and charges towards Naruto and grabs his shirt lifting him into the air and pushing him into the tree. The tree dents at the blow and continues to make cracking noises as Sakura and Naruto stare at each other. Naruto's hands stay in his pockets and his blank expression unchanged.

"Sakura put him down now!" Kakashi ordered

"You've gotten really strong Sakura-chan," Naruto makes a small smile

"Did you really think I would let you leave" Sakura hissed

"You'll let me leave Sakura-chan. Just like you would do anything to get me back when I left. I will do everything to get Sasuke back where he belongs. Home. Here with you, Kakashi-sensei and I. Since you freed me from my promise, then I'm bring him back for myself. He has to know he's not alone"

"But you don't have to do this alone!" Sakura yells and throws Naruto towards another tree. Naruto spins in the air, letting his feet to be the one to take the brunt of the force of the throw. He bounces back towards Sakura and lands cleanly in front of her.

"I was never alone. I know that. I have everyone here behind me but Sasuke doesn't know that and no one else but I can pound that into his head" Naruto puts his hand on Sakura's shoulder

"You've changed" Sakura whispers, "I want the baka back"

Naruto smiles, "You'll get him back. Once, Team 7 is whole again. We can go back to being carefree"

"I like you like this too" Sakura lets tears slip down her face, "What happened when you fought Sasuke-kun back then?"

"I lost" Naruto removes his hand and puts it back in his pocket

"You're home is here. Everything is ready for you when you got back or when we brought you back. You're old apartment is destroyed but I already moved all you're stuff to my apartment. And i have it stocked with..." Sakura stopped and looked up at Naruto

"Come on, I'll show you" Sakura extends her hand, "I'm happy you're home Naruto"

Naruto takes her hand and Sakura smile brightly. She hadn't smiled like that in a long while

"So now what?" Lee asks

"I'm going after the Raikage, I can't let him make Sasuke-teme an international criminal," Naruto concluded

Naruto looked at Yamato and Kakashi's direction, "Come with me, I'm sure that I could convince the Raikage"

The group dispersed and Kakashi, Naruto and Yamamto headed out.


End file.
